32 Weeks 4 days

Thursday will mark my 45th straight work day. So Friday I took off and we are going to the Dells before the baby gets here. I wanted to do something for us that we could enjoy together before our new arrival. We need some fun time together where we don't have to come up with what we want to do around here. Also for the future I was looking at this place to maybe go camping during the summers with the boys. I know how much you like camping and this place looks absolutely AWESOME! Get this. It has a golf cart drive-in movie theatre. How cool is that!? Anyway, I love you and I am constantly thinking about you.

30 Weeks

Last night I was rubbing your belly and the baby pressed himself against the part of your stomach where I was rubbing and for a few moments there daddy got to rub his unborn babies back. I really enjoyed that. Grayson or Logan or whatever we decide to name you it will be just the right name for you. "I want to rock with you! All night!"

I have been debating letting you post on this blog so it would be a little different from Gavin's blog, but I am still undecided and the weeks are draining by I suppose we will see.

I love you baby!

28 weeks 4 days

I'm struggling. It has been weeks since I have had a day off and to make matters worse I don't know if we are even going to be able to sit for a state test before this baby is born. God forbid he is born I am really worried. I try not to let you know it, but I know you can tell I am distant and spaced out. Running on autopilot if you will. I am sorry I am not doing better. I just want to make the best life possible for you and I feel my grip on the wheel just slipping. I am praying again. Maybe God has brought me to this point for a reason. I have to depend on him to make it because I can't make it on my own. I can see that now.

27 weeks 4 days

It has been too long since I posted here last. My schedule is crushing me right now, but I am doing this for you guys. This weekend I went to work Friday morning at 6:30am and went straight to the Pediatric ICU to do clinical time came home about 7pm. Saturday I worked a 24 at the fire station and went directly to the ER Sunday morning to do some more clinical time and got home at 6pm Sunday night. So it hasn't been easy.

I'd like you to see like my dad would have liked me to see why i run this race, but you won't understand it for a long time. You are not even born and you help to motivate me every day to keep going. I run this race for you -- not only to win this race for you, but to show you how to run it.

How can I fail? You and your brother are counting on me. I love you both so much I fear death now.

25 weeks 5 days

Baby,

Lately when we put your big brother to bed we make him kiss you goodnight. He walks over and kisses your mommies belly and then we go upstairs and read a book. It is the sweetest thing ever. We can't wait to see you and read books to you too.

23 weeks 6 days

Dear Baby,

Your brother and I prayed for you last night. It was our first time kneeling down and praying before bed time. Your big brother doesn't know what to expect, but he knows where the baby is when we ask he points to mommies belly. We are really looking forward to your arrival. My world is beginning to be viewed with 2 children in it instead of just one. I look at Gavin in front of the TV in his chair and I imagine you sitting next to him imitating his every move. I see toys and friends and fights and a big brothers watchful eye. I like what I see. I love you.

Love,
Daddy

21 weeks

My Son,

I just wanted to let you know that you have the most wonderful mommy in the world. Daddy got really lucky when he snagged her. :) He doesn't know it yet but your big brother is going to love having you around. I already know it. Daddy has a big brother and a little brother too so go easy on him. Big brothers deal with some nutty stuff with parental expectations and having to look after the little ones and what not so give him a break eh. I am sure my tune will change once yer here and laying on the charm so disregard. :)

Love,
Daddy

20 weeks 5 days

This boy thing has really thrown us a curve. Now we are scrambling to find a name. There are lots of options of course but none that have really jumped out at us like Gavin did. Names that we both seem to like are Gabriel, Wyatt, Grayson, Logan, Hunter, Drake and Garrett. Names that I like are Gunner, Coda, Carver, Judah, and Ezekiel, but you don't like any of those. hehehe

Today I got the most giddy feeling in my stomach thinking about the baby coming. Knowing the sex of the baby (and it kicking me recently) has really brought it to the forefront of my mind. I am so excited for the new babies arrival. 4 more months! Yikes! Look at it this way Elephants have 18 month gestation so we are kinda lucky. :) (easy for me to say huh?)

20 weeks 4 days

IT'S A BOY!

We just found out on Saturday that it's a boy. While shocked we are still excited. However we do not have any boy names that we are dead set on yet like when we picked Gavin. :( Crap! Darn babies throwing us a curve and Chinese birth calendar betraying us! *shakes fist* :)

20 Weeks!

You scheduled the ultrasound for Saturday morning so we get to find out in 2 days if we are having a girl for sure or if the Chinese birth calendar is wrong and its another boy. We are both very excited to find out! It will be good to put the twins thing to rest too. Some people say there are very few real suprises in life and this is blah blah blah. We don't care. :)

19 weeks 5 days

I noticed you were showing a little earlier than you did the last time you were pregnant, but I thought nothing of it until my sister asked if I thought you were having twins. Well, I hadn't thought of it until then! It certainly would be interesting. :) I wouldn't mind, but I am sure Gavin would not be thrilled. This Thursday is your 20 week appointment and they will let us schedule an Ultrasound so you and I are both super excited. I can't wait. That should put that nasty twins rumor to rest. :)

I always download an image from Google using the search term for the number of weeks you are pregnant. This one was on the thrid page of images that came up. LOL

18 weeks 1 day

In 2 weeks you go to the doctor to schedule your ultrasound. We are really excited about that. Even tho the Chinese birth calendar says it's going to be a girl and most people whose opinion I trust think girl we are apprehensive about it. We are going to be super excited either way, but a girl would be fun to have. You confirmed last night that you can feel the baby poke every now and then. I was excited to hear that.

16 weeks 4 days

Yesterday I saw your face again for the first time it seemed. I don't know what it was, but it was just one of those moments where time stood still - if for just a moment. I got lost staring at you. You melted me. I still have that look you gave me burned into my retinas. It still makes me smile now just thinking about it.

I saw this quote and it made me think of that moment when I looked at you.

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow's a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why they call it "the present".

-- Unknown

If we have a little girl I hope she looks just like you so someday someone may know the pleasure I have in waking up to that face.

I love you
Mike

P.S. The picture was my favorite one when I searched 16 weeks on google. He scored 31 TDs. *sigh*

15 Weeks 6 Days

Dear Lord,

I know we don't talk much anymore, but I know you always listen to me when I call. I just wanted you to know how much this family you have given me means to me. I tell you this a lot, but I just needed to write it down. I am trying my best to take care of them and do what is right. My little boy bows his head to pray before we eat, and he puts a smile on any face he meets. He truly is a treasure. If you took him home tomorrow I would be a better man for having had him. My wife is a blessing without end. I definitely don't deserve her, but I do try to make up for the discrepancy. She is carrying our second child now and I am equally amazed at how the whole process works. I know I don't deserve all that you have done and continue to do so I just wanted to say thanks.

Love,
Mike

15 Weeks 1 day

Today I was called in for a shift at the fire Department. Normally that isn't a problem, but I already work a 24 tomorrow and I have Clinical from 8 am to 4 pm on Sunday so I am going to be away from you guys for 48 hours straight. I am kinda bummed out, but we really need the money with the little one on the way. It was so nice because you brought Gavin to come see me at the station and we got to talk for a little while. He was playing and grabbed that rubberband from the radio room and put it on his wrist. So funny. I found it laying on the Coke machine low shelf just a second ago so I put it on my wrist cuz I am thinking about you guys. I miss you so much. New baby I just want you to know daddy is working just as hard for you as anyone. I love you already.

Love,
Daddy

13 weeks 4 days

Every once in awhile you get a sharp pain in your lower abdomen. A quick search on the Internet reveals: "Round ligament pain may result in short, stabbing and sharp aches in one or both sides of the abdomen." This is pretty much exactly what you are describing to me and there is no spotting or cramping associated so that makes me feel a lot better. Lately I am having an overwhelming urge just to hear your voice and hear what is going on at home. I miss you guys so much lately. It's all I can do not to call you. I miss you all so much!

12 weeks 1 day

You had a doctors appointment yesterday and you told me you could hear the babies heartbeat. It totally made me misty. I guess I was just so relieved that everything is going well. They also gave you the glucose test because Gavin was so huge when he was born they want to make sure you don't have gestational diabetes. I thought they tested you for that when you had Gavin too and everything came out negative, but I could be wrong.

11 weeks 1 day

Last night we were reading the scrap book I made of the blog I put up for Gavin, and it inspired me to write this entry. Because, as much as it brought me back to that time, I almost could not even picture myself writing all that stuff. His arrival has answered so many of the questions I had that my brain can almost not even conceive of having the question in the first place if that makes any sense. I read entries to you and we cried and laughed and thought about what this baby has in store for us. But during all that emotion and feeling the magnitude of the things I wrote I feel like I am almost cheating this new baby with this blog. The whole reason I started writing this was to combat that. I finally see what my parents went through when I came along, and it is kinda sad. The strange thing is I am more excited about this pregnancy than the first because I KNOW what is in store for the most part and I can enjoy it and cherish it all the more. So I guess I just typed myself into understanding why this baby is so special to me. I guess that is the beauty of not editing what I type.

I love you with all my heart!

8 weeks 6 days

I feel crappy because I haven't thought of anything this clever this year. :( I don't want to do the same thing again, but I suppose a card with Gavins and my name and the someday to come baby might be cute, but it hasn't been 12 weeks yet so I am nervous still that something bad could still happen. The first time we miscarried we didn't know what we were missing. I feel like if there is a miscarriage this time we would be so much more devastated than before we had Gavin. Then there is the question of, if so, do I delete this blog? Jeeze I don't even want to think about it!

I Love you with all my heart!

Mike

8 weeks 4 days

Last night I read to you from the new baby book because you said you weren't as motivated to read this time around. It's a plus because now I have a good reason to read the book too. This new book "Your Pregnancy & Birth 4th Ed" is actually very detailed as to the hormones and stuff that are released. As an added bonus we are going over Obstetrics in Paramedic class now and it really does help cement the process in my head because the book is as detailed as my current Medic book.

There is one drawback to the reading...We both get so excited when we read it we don't want to wait another 32 weeks! Good news for you tho! By the time you read this we will have a new baby already!

Right now the baby is 1.5 to 2.0 inches long and less than an ounce but the heart is already beating. Right now he or she is still an embryo, but in the 9th week the baby becomes a fetus. I think its a lateral move. More work, but no more money kind of thing.